Hathras Stampede in UP: A Stampede at a Religious Event in Hathras Claimed the Lives of 116 Individuals

Hathras Stampede in UP: A Stampede at a Religious Event in Hathras Claimed the Lives of 116 Individuals

The satsang, a gathering for religious events was held at Hathras. As the event was over, a stampede occurred, killing 116 people, including men, women and children.

Summary of the Incident-

In brief, there was a stampede during a satsang in Hathras, resulting in 116 deaths. PM Modi, President Murmu, and CM Yogi have expressed their condolences. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of UP offered his sympathies to the victims’ families and instructed officials to implement prompt assistance measures. He also directed officials to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the precise root cause of the tragedy.

Who is Bhole Baba?

The Manav Mangal Milan Sadbhavna Samagam Committee organised the Satsang for the self-proclaimed godman Narayan Sakar Hari, known as Bhole Baba or Sakar Vishwa. The police are looking for Bhole Baba, who has not been seen after the stampede.

The exact data stated by the Chief Secretary in Hathras stampede

Chief Secretary of UP Manoj Kumar Singh, who inspected the stampede site, stated that 108 of the 116 individuals who died were women, seven children, and one man. He stated that 72 persons have been recognised so far.

Inspector General of Aligarh Shalabh Mathur said that 116 persons passed away so far. “Soon an FIR will be filed against the Satsang organisers since the number of attendees exceeded the maximum capacity. “A high-level investigation has been commanded,” he stated. They also looked for to collect soil near the baba’s feet, he told PTI, a news agency.

Why did this Hathras stampede happen?

The major reason stated by the eyewitnesses so far is poor management. Eyewitnesses reported chaotic scenes as people attempted to cross the enclosure. A witness who survived the Hathras stampede and is now being treated at Etah district hospital, said, “There was a tremendous gathering of followers. It all happened after the satsang concluded, and everyone sought to leave fast. There was no way out, so everyone fell on each other. Motorbikes parked outside obstructed the exit, leading more individuals to faint and die.”

As stated by Sikandra Rao sub-divisional magistrate named Ravendra Kumar, the stampede occurred when devotees attempted to catch a glimpse of the Bhole Baba, who led the ‘Satsang’, at the very end of the event.

Take of the UP State government on Hathras stampede

The state government has provided an ex-gratia of two lakh rupees for the person who died and Rs 50,000 for the injured. “The central government will also contribute the same amount,” he said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “The situation is exceedingly sad and heartbreaking… Local organisers had organised a ‘Bhole Baba’ program. After the program, when the Satsang preacher was leaving the stage, a mob of devotees approached Baba to touch him, and when the’sevadars’ intervened, this accident occurred.”

To investigate the entire incident, we made a team. The investigation team was chaired by the Additional DG of Agra and requested them to provide a complete report. The state’s Chief Secretary and DGP have set up camp in response to the tragedy. Three ministers from the UP state government named, Chaudhary Laxmi Narayan, Sandeep Singh, and Asim Arun, are all present,” he added.

The exact causes of the stampede are still being investigated, preliminary reports indicate that weak crowd management and the venue’s limited capacity to handle the enormous number of guests were major contributing factors.

This tragedy has prompted questions about safety measures and emergency planning for major public gatherings. The state administration has initiated an investigation into the tragedy and assigned three ministers to the scene to supervise relief works.